Construcciones Yamaro: Ensuring safer and more inclusive construction workplaces
Thirty years strong, the National Association of Women in Construction continues to challenge convention and change culture, creating a fair and inclusive industry for all.
By Cathryn Greville, CEO of the National Association of Women in Construction.
In our 30th anniversary year, the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) remains committed to supporting women in the sector and tackling sticky issues head-on to drive culture change.
During National Safe Work Month in October, we launched our Ending Gender Harassment and Building Safer Workplaces campaign with a panel event in Melbourne. We also released the findings from a study commissioned by our NSW Chapter into parental leave in the construction industry.
Figures from the Australian Human Rights Commission show that more than 40 per cent of women and 26 per cent of men experienced workplace sexual harassment in the past five years, with the construction industry ranking among those recording the highest rates and lowest levels of formal reporting.
The NSW Government’s 2025 Women in Construction survey found that 70 per cent of women experienced gender-based discrimination and 35 per cent experienced sexual harassment in the past year, with many experiencing this conduct weekly.
Creating safe and inclusive construction workplaces sits at the core of our Organisational Strategy 2025–2028. We know unsafe or intimidating conduct is never acceptable, and while progress has been made, too many women still face barriers, exclusion and aggression.
Our ‘Safety in Focus: Building an Industry Free of Sexual Harassment and Gender-Based Violence’ panel featured speakers from the Workplace Gender Equality Agency, Safe Work Australia, the Fair Work Ombudsman, the Victorian Gender Equality Commission, and the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission.
Hosted by our Victorian Chapter at a venue provided by Brickworks, and supported by WorkSafe Victoria as part of its Health and Safety Month program, the panel offered perspectives on legislative reform, prevention and response tools, and the leadership needed to create safer, more equitable construction workplaces. The video of the event, along with a range of resources, will be available on our website as part of our campaign to inform and empower everyone in the construction sector to create safer workplaces.
With funding from Year 2 of the NSW Government’s Women in Construction Industry Innovation Program (IIP), NAWIC’s NSW Chapter partnered with the University of Sydney Business School to conduct a parental leave study.
Related stories:
- Uniting for equity in construction
- NAWIC unveils new strategy as it celebrates 30 years of change
- NAWIC grants back bright ideas in construction
The ‘Boosting Retention of Women in Construction: Supporting Women Through Parental Leave’ project explores how to better support women working in frontline construction roles across Australia during pregnancy, parental leave and their return to work.
Research has found that the transition periods into and out of parental leave are pivotal in a woman’s decision to remain in or return to work. This report goes further, delving into lived experiences of women and offering a pathway to better parental leave support.
Released in August, the research includes a toolkit and offers clear recommendations for government and industry, including:
- The introduction of a parental leave levy to support small businesses and sole traders;
- normalising family-friendly work hours and flexibility on site;
- enhanced paid parental leave and support for both women and men; and
- investment in safe and inclusive site facilities and practices for pregnant and women workers.
We are also preparing to roll out our ‘Allyship in Action: Transforming Culture to Attract and Retain Women’ project, which received $5 million in funding through the Federal Government’s Building Women’s Careers (BWC) Program. The three-year project will engage men as partners and address poor attitudes and behaviours, empower men to sponsor women into leadership, and harness the influence of cultural ambassadors of all genders to embed positive change on the ground.
Each of us can make a difference in our workplace. Culture change begins with understanding and sharing what is working, what is not and what opportunities we have to explore.
In our 30th anniversary year, we have been reflecting on what has been achieved so far and our vision for the future of women in construction. We have big plans for the years ahead and need your insights and experiences to strengthen our advocacy work.
At the end of the financial year, we had 360 organisational members, more than 16,000 members and about 400 volunteers. New members are always welcome.
Membership is open to all – women, men and non-binary people at all career stages, and organisations of all types and sizes – providing access to a range of benefits including discounted event tickets, mentoring programs, professional development, awards, resources and more.
Join us as we work to create a fair, inclusive and respectful construction industry. Learn more about our projects, campaigns and resources, and find out how you can become a member at www.nawic.com.au
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